Vitiate
by Stezia Ann
Summary: Mel has lived her life behind closed doors all her life, her mother protecting her from a world devastated by 'The Event', until her mom does missing and she is helped by a strange girl, scarred and battle worn.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mel sat on her bed, beat headphones slapped on her ears, listening to Queen's, feeling the growl in her stomach. Clenching her eyes shut, she listened to Freddie Mercury belch out the lines to Bohemian Rhapsody. Today marked 14 days, 2 weeks since her mom had come home. Something that didn't boed well for Mel.

The cupboards were bare except for two or three cans of spam; which Mel hated with a passion that only someone who knew what was in it could understand. The house was silent, still, dark, and cold. The first hints of winter had started just yesterday and Mel knew better than to start the fireplace yet. Shivering, she thinks, _Great, cold and hungry. Could it get worse?_

That's when she heard a sound, ripping the beats from her ears and slamming the stop button on her walkman. She holds her breath, whispering so low even the words were inaudible to her own ears, 'They can't hear me.'

The sound came again, popping her eyes open, she slowly slides from her bed to the boarded up windows of her room, only a slit allowing access to the outside world beyond. Down the dead end street, she sees a lone figure. It moved quickly, towards her home in a trench coat several sizes too large, face covered with a breathing apparatus, large snow googles, and a battered hat. A backpack, and another strange square long box on one side, the handle of a blade on another. It wasn't so much that, but the gun that made Mel shiver. The person was slightly squatted, moving at a quick walk, trench tails dragging as it came towards her home.

'Scavenger,' Mel whispers again, now just enough for her ears to hear.

The person stops in mid stride, leg outstretched, headed to the house to Mel's left. Then the person darts from view. Mel knew the drill and ran silently down the stairs to the 'hobbit hole' of a closet under the stairs. Her mom had always told her to hide in the cupboard inside that closet where the heater for the house once sat. Clutching her walkmen, she waits. The sound came a few minutes later as the back door is smashed in. She could hear the sound of glass shattering as the door slammed against the opposite wall.

Covering her mouth to muffle her now frantic breathing, Mel squeezes her eyes shut again. In her mind like a mantra, Mel whispered, _Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet._

No sounds came, no footfalls on glass covered floors, no old wood floors creaking from weight placed on them. The only sound that came was the sound of hinges squeezing slightly. Mel takes a sharp intake of breath. It was close, too close. Holding her breath, she waits. The scavenger was right on the other side of the door, a slight scuffing sound the only indication. Mel's heart was screaming in her chest, beating so quickly she thought she'd die.

The cupboard door swings open violently and a harsh but muffled woman's voice snarls, 'Show me your eyes!'

Mel didn't understand, her arms going up to show her surrender, but the voice said louder with more venom, 'Show me your eyes now!!!'

The bright light in Mel's face was enough as she looks up, the masked face and AK-47 pointed at her. She could see the finger poised on the trigger as Mel gasps out, 'I'm not one of them!!!'

Suddenly the light goes off, the masked figure disappearing from the closet. Mel sits there stunned, thinking she should be dead. That's when the muffled voice comes, 'Come on out, sorry to scare you.'

Mel didn't move from her crampt spot for a moment until the person sticks its face back through the hole and pulling the breathing apparatus away says in a young woman's voice, 'God, can you even understand me?'

Mel nods, staring at the reflective goggles as she slowly gets out of the cupboard and closet. Standing up and dusting the dirt off her, she looks up at the woman and asks, 'Who are you?'

The woman/girl shrugs and walks back into the kitchen where the door stood wide open, glass covering the floor. She moved lightly in her combat boots, missing the glass with ease as she opens cabinets looking for food. Mel gulps before asking in a shaky voice, 'Left cabinet to the fridge.'

Goggle woman/girl turns to her and smiles saying, 'Thanks, kind of surprised you would tell me that.'

'My mom said if I was found, to give away the location of our food. Food isn't worth our lives.'

The goggle woman/girl stops in mid reach, asking, 'There are two of you?'

'No, my mom's been... gone a while.'

Google woman/girl nods, not asking more as she opens the cabinet and pulls out one of the spam saying, 'Sweet mother of God, haven't had this in years.'

She looks back at Mel, a goofie grin on that half face Mel could see and in that instance Mel realized the woman was likely her age. The goggle girl asks, 'Hungry?'

Mel shakes her head just as her stomach betrays her and growls loudly. Goggle girl nods murmuring, 'That's what I thought.'

With that the girl cracks the can open, slices the chemical meat, and halves it on the only two plates in the kitchen. She sits down, throwing off her pack, the long black box that hit with a heavy thud, and set the AK within grabbing distance, saying, 'Sit, eat with me. Tell me your story.'

Mel still in some shook and a little leary moved forward, standing awkwardly by the chair for her. Goggle girl sighs, head falling before she says, 'Listen, I'm not a threat to you. In fact, I'm not going to take any of your food but what I have just taken. You are hungry, I'm hungry, sit.'

Finally Mel complies, sitting and picking up a piece of the slimy pink goo meat saying, 'This stuff is disgustingly salty.'

The goggle girl says, a piece half way in her mouth, mumbling, 'I just think protein and sodium, part of a balanced diet.'

Mel eats her's in silent protest until she feels the urge to ask in a shaky voice, 'Wh-Wh-what about your eyes?'

The goggle girl stops in mid-bite. She slowly puts it down, looking up at Mel. Mel felt a sudden chill inside as the girl sighs and pulls off the goggles. Her eyes were shut, but the asian slant was unmistakable as well as the black hair and pale skin. A large scar split through one eyebrow and down to her jaw on one side. She opens her eyes and Mel jumps, one eye had gone white, the other gray. Mel starts to shake but the girl holds up her hand saying quickly, 'Don't jump to conclusions! I am not one of them either. My dad was white, mom was asian, I inherited my gray eyes... or eye I should say, from him.'

Mel grips the table hard and asks, 'Wh-what happened to the other?'

'A fight with a kazert, ended worse for him than me. I lost my sight in one eye, he lost a body.'

The girl waves her hand in front of her face, and then goes back to eating. She had to be a few years older than Mel, maybe seventeen, eighteen? Mel asks it, 'How old are you?'

'How old are you?'

'I'm fifteen,' Mel says quickly, proud to have lived that long in this world.

The girl nods as she pulls a folded paper from her trench pocket and asks, biting into another slice of her spam, 'What's your name fifteen?'

'Mel.'

The girl stops her unfolding of the paper and asks, 'Mel?'

'Melody Fitzherbert.'

'Oh Mel, short for Melody. Like it, what's on your walkmen?'

Mel looks down, having fogotten she was still clutching it like a lifeline in her other hand says, 'Oh.. uh... Queens?'

The goggle girl nods with a smile, saying as she continues to unfold the thick paper, 'Awe Queens, been years since I heard them. Any favorites?'

'Um... Queen Killer?'

'Is that a question or statement?'

'Statement.'

The goggle girl nods as she spreads out the paper and Mel finally realizes its a map, certain towns are circled and some of those circles are crossed out. Mel chews on her last bite of spam and asks, 'What's that?'

'This?' Goggle girl asks, smiles and says, pointing out the door, 'See those?'

Mel looks out at the two large funnels that she always thought were the legs of the sky and asks, 'Yeah, what about them?'

'Do you know what they are for?'

'Nope.'

'A long time ago before the outbreak they generated electricity, those are the cooling towers of a Nuclear power plant.'

Mel knew about nuclear power from her mom's history lessons, but that had been at their last house. Mel nods and says, 'Ok, so?'

'So I've come to shut it down properly.'

Mel frowns, confused and asks, 'I thought it was?'

Goggle girl shakes her head as she gobbles down the last slice of her spam and says, 'Nope, none of them were. So I'm here to fix that.'

Mel looks at the towers, then back at the map as the girl crosses out the town she was in and she asks, 'So... you've done all the others that are crossed out?'

The girl grabs up the map swiftly, folding it just as quickly, and says, 'Yup.'

'Are - are you about to leave?'

'Yup,' the girl says sliding her goggles on, slapping her badly mangled cowboy hat back on, and picking up her pack and rifle.

'Your not going to take my food, or kill me?'

'Why would I do that? I scavenge when I need to, but I'm not a thief. Anyway, your mom will probably be back soon, don't want to stick around to find out what fun she would have with me.'

'She's been gone for two weeks,' Mel says, not even thinking.

The girl stops as she grabs for her AK. For a second, Mel could tell from her set jaw goggle girl was really thinking about that. Finally she says with a sigh, 'Listen, I can guarantee that your mom isn't coming back if it's been two weeks... has she been gone longer?'

Mel shake's her head, the goggle girl nods and says softly, 'Listen, I hate to break it to you but your Mom's likely dead.'

It stunk, but Mel knew it was likely. Her mom was only supposed to be gone for a few hours, now it was two weeks. Mel shallows hard, holding back the tears, and nods.

Goggle girl nods, picks up the gun and heads to the door. She's about to walk through and stops, slowly she looks back and says, 'Listen, I know your alone now. But if you want to survive you need to get to a haven quick. The kazert are quick at picking off lone survivors.'

'Your alone.' Mel says, pointing to the front of the house, 'Only scouts go ahead of their group and no one has shown up. Scavengers hunt in packs, your alone and seem to be doing fine.'

'True, but I chose this lifestyle. Anyway, I've said my peace, see you.'

She steps out of the house. Mel hesitates then runs forward, glass clinking under her feet as she yells out, 'Wait!'

Goggle girl shushes her quickly, having just left the back porch, breathing apparatus in her hands. She says in a harsh whisper, 'Don't yell, kazert love to hunt that way! Rule one!!!'

Mel covers her mouth, whispering, 'Sorry.'

Goggle girl smirks, and Mel asks, 'What's your name?'

The girl smirks harder at Mel, seems to debate, but finally says with a quirk in her lip, 'Naname.'

'Naname what?'

'Just Naname.'

Mel nods as the girl starts to turn away, but Naname hesitates before turning back, asking with a shrug, 'Want to come with me? I'll help you get to a haven.'

Mel looks back at the house, her heart squeezing in hopes of her Mom's return. But she shakes her head saying, 'No... I'll stay.'

Naname nods, pulling up the apparatus, saying in that muffled voice, 'Ok, see you around Mel... hopefully.'

With that, Naname slinks away, moving faster than Mel expected with all that gear on her. Besides her mom, Mel hadn't met another unaffected, and around her age no less. Naname was out of sight in a blink and once again the house was silent, still, dark, and cold.

 _ **Author's Notes:** I hope everyone has enjoyed the first chapter, reviews are always appreciated as they help me craft both the story and its characters. With my schedule, I'm hoping to have a new chapter weekly, should no disasters arise._


	2. Chapter 2

Mel looked around at the house, it was dusty, vines having found their way in, wallpaper stained by the years of neglect the house had gone through. Closing the kitchen door behind her, she locks it and walks over the glass and up to the stairs. Sitting there, she thinks about the goggle girl Naname. She was taller than Mel expected, maybe five ten, thin, and long haired. She had a light about her that had made the room brighten like her mom had had.

Mel wences at that thought. Her mom, dead. Killed. By the kezart. Mel shivers at the thought. She had only seen them once when they fled their home she had grown up in.

Closing her eyes tight, banishing that memory, she pulls her beats back on, turning Queen's back on. Mel had been surprised that Naname had known who Queens was, but then she hadn't met anyone else but her mom in her fifteen years. How strange that interaction had been? She had barely gotten the girls name and nothing else. She didn't know how to interact with others. She never had practiced... okay maybe in front of a mirror but that wasn't a real person.

The last few lines of Bohemian Rhapsody play in her ears and suddenly she jumps up. Her mom was gone, she had no idea what to do. That girl could help her and looked strong. A haven she had said, could it be possible? Mel runs up the stairs to her room. Her mom had only let her go out with her a few times to scavenge for food, as she grabs her backpack and hesitates. Mel didn't know what to do, she shivered thinking about how big the world was and the monsters that lived in it. But setting her jaw she starts stuffing clothes into her bag, other essentials and pulls on her heavy coat, scarf, and wool hat. Looking at herself in the hall mirror, she pulls the scarf over her face and snorts, saying, 'Great Mel, you look like a five year old. Not like Naname, she was cool.'

Mel knew she had to catch up to the girl, time was of the essence. Grabbing the last two cans of spam she hesitates again. What if her mom came back? How would she know where to find her?

Squeezing her eyes shut hard again, Mel puts a spam on the table, rips a page out of her journal from her pack and writes

 _Mom, I can't stay. You told me to leave if you didn't come back in three days. I waited till day fourteen. I love you mom, hope you're ok. I found someone who can help me, her name is Naname. She's headed to the nuclear power plant, I don't know where from there. I'll leave a note from there. Love you, Melody._

Placing it under the can, Mel hitches her pack, looks at the interior of the house one last time and says, 'Bye.'

/V/

Mel gasped for breath, the power plant wasn't far now. The large, what had Naname called them again, Mel whispers, 'Cooling stacks?'

Nodding an assent, she continues her job through the woods, the cooling towers were looming above now. That's when Mel hears something and stops dead, a branch breaking. Was it a kezart? A unaffected? An animal? Mel felt her heart take on a faster tempo. She would be smart and walk away from it.

Just as she turns, a long glossy blade stops before her. Gasping, Mel follows the blade to the goggles she knew well. Letting it out in a whoosh of air, she says happily, 'Naname!'

'Mel?'

'Yup!'

'What are you... you followed me?' Naname says in astonishment through the muffle of the breathing apparatus.

Mel points towards the towers and says, 'No, I followed those. You said you were going to the plant, hard to miss.'

'Awe.'

'So... the um, sword?'

Jerking, Naname returns the blade to a sleek black sheath saying, 'Sorry thought you were... something else.'

'Right, are you still headed towards the towers?'

'Yes.'

'Can I come.'

'I thought you were staying?' she says, lifting her goggles, showing those strange eyes.

For a moment, Mel found uerself staring at the milky blind one until Naname clears her throat. Jumping, Mel says quickly to cover her laps, 'I thought about it, but Queen changed my mind.'

'Huh?'

'Nothing really matters. You know?'

'Right... ok.'

'I could stay and starve or go with you.'

'So you think your moms dead?'

'Nope.'

'But,' Naname starts, confused eyes over the mask and a furl of brows, shaking her head and says with a half laugh, 'Don't get it but I'll let you tag along.'

Smiling wide, Mel nods vigorously as Naname swings the AK into place and says, 'Be as quiet as you can. To tell you the truth it sounded like a bear was rushing through the woods you were so loud.'

'Weel excuse me,' Mel says with a roll of her eyes.

She stops noticing how Nanme had her finger along the edge of the gun and not on the trigger and asks, 'Why don't you have you finger on the trigger?'

'Don't feel too keen on shooting myself in the foot. Not to mention its good practice, seen too many people squeeze off a shot by accident. Gives you a chance to assess the situation.'

'Oh.'

Mell was definitely surprised by this response as the movmove through the woods towards the towers. It was quiet and Mel felt uncomfortable as they did. Finally, unable to stand the unnerving silence, 'So did you dad teach you that?'

'What?'

'The gun thing.'

'Self taught, dad died before I was born,' Naname says, her head moving back and forth like a radar dish.

'What about your mom?'

'Died when I was ten.'

'You've been alone since you were ten?!' Mel squeaks in amazement.

'Not completely, but for a majority I've been taking care of myself alone.'

'Is it scary?' Mel asks right as she face plants into Naname's pack.

Stumbling back, Mel asks rubbing her nose, 'Why'd you stop?!'

'Are you going to be asking a lot of questions from here on out?'

Mel nods without even thinking about it. Naname's sighs, shoulders sagging. Letting the AK fall, swinging from the shoulder straps, Naname puts her hands on Mel's shoulders and says, 'Listen, when we find a place to stay tonight we can talk, but let me explain things to you. We are in dangerous territory, kezarts love forests, especially close to heat sources. The plant is warm, meaning lots of kezarts, that's why I almost cut your head off. So we need to be quiet, this isn't a scavenge hunt.'

Mel nods, stomach twisting at this knowledge. She clenches her fist and asks in a whisper, 'I don't have a weapon.'

Naname lets out another sigh, of frustration or exhaustion, Mel didn't know. Squatting down, Naname retrieves a knife from her boot and hands it to Mel. Before she lets go of it, Naname asks, 'Do you know how to use a knife?'

'Pointy edge goes into the other person.'

Naname snorts out of amusement and nods saying, 'Close enough. Come on.'

The more they walked, Mel started to feel calmer. The day was almost balmy, birds sang in the trees, and a small stream close by babbled happily. She could almost imagine that the world wasn't as screwed up as she knew it was. Her mind kept replying what her mom used to say, 'The world was so different from what you know Mel. When I was your age the only thing I had to worry abiut was when the next Ariana Grande song would drop or when my next Starbucks coffee would be.'

Mel didn't know who Ariana Grande was or Starbuck, but it sounded so interesting. Looking at Naname in front of her, she wondered what her parents told her about life before the event was like. Mel shivers at those words, the event. Mel's mom didn't like to talk much about it, only that it was a terrible time. History for Mel had been about ancient history, right up to the event. After that, her mom seemed to clam up and go on to another subject. Mel hated it, just like she hated how she knew nothing about her father. It was a sore subject for Mel's mom, and any time it came up was a swift irritated look ffom her mom.

Naname stops at a chainlink fence and Mel whispers softly, 'What now?'

Naname looks both ways and murmurs, 'Hold on.'

Slipping off her pack, Naname pulls out something and whispers, 'The magic door.'

Mel frowns until Naname starts clipping the chainlink and Mel smiles. Naname was so cool. Mel slaps herself mentally, Naname was older, had battle scars, and been on her own for some time, it was a given. Finally a big enough hole was made and Naname climbs through, Mel close on her heels.

Naname whispers close to Mel's ear, 'No talking at all past this point. Do you have any paper and pen?'

Mel nods, taking Naname's words to heart immediately. Naname nods back and with that they move forward.

After about ten minutes an old broken road shows up and Naname follows it. That's when the sound came and Mel jumps. Naname shakes her head and points to the spot. A universal sign for stay here. Mel does as Naname, AK on shoulder moves forward and disappears around the corner. Mel's heart start to move faster in her chest, her breath coming quick and shallow. Rustling to her left, Mel slowly looks and sees nothing. Then a clicking to her right. Mel shuts her eyes, whispering in her mind, _Its nothing, its nothing, a bird, a deer, a... a racoon, nothing._

Opening her eyes, she slowly turns her head and it feels like her stomach drops a hundred feet. About five meters from her is a kezart, swaying.

Mel was stone as she stared at it like a deer in headlights. Its white, almost transparent skin was disgusting, a reanimated corpse almost. But it wasn't, it was a man, hair now long, gray milky eyes, purple lips peeled back with black gooish matter dribbling from his mouth. Everything told Mel to run, but her mom's training kept her motionless. Kezart were motion and sound based, and this creature sensed neither from her. They could outrun her, out manuveer, out everything. She could wait an eternity if it would just turn and leave. But it cocks its head as if hearing her thoughts and gives out a god aweful hiss.

Mel's eyes widen as Naname rushs from behind. The kezart turns like a viper, but Naname seems to stop in mid-jump, swing left and all Mel sees is a quick flash of silver and the nothing. The creature gurgles, and Mel's mouth drops open as the head of said kezart slides from its neck.

Never in her life had Mel wanted to ask so many questions. However she just stares as Naname flicks the black gooey blood of her sword and returns it to its sheath. With a jerk of her head, she walks up the road. Mel was floored by this teenager! What in the world was she?! She moved like something out of the books Mel read as a kid, a ninja or superhero. Now Mel wanted to know more and would have to resist the urge.

She looks back at the body of the now dead creature and shivers. That could have ended so differently and Mel was amazed at how silent Naname could move through the woods. To sneak up on a kezart was a feat, but to kill it even more so. Naname didn't even seem fazed as they came up to low slung buildings just before the cooling stacks; that now loomed larger than life before them.

Naname stops, gesturing to write. Mel pulls out her journal to a clean page and hands over her pen and paper. Naname rights in a neat scrawl:

 _Stay here. Don't move, breath, think. I can't understate any of those. If I hear a scream I know your dead._

Mel gives Naname a death glare, and from her crinckled eyes, Mel knew she was smiling. Pulling her goggles down, Naname hitches her pack and disappears into the building.

Now Mel knew she was truly alone with nothing but a three inch knife. What was this?! A game for Naname?! Mel walks over to the wall of the building, pulls off her pack and sits down. There was nothing she could do now but wait. The grounds around the building may have been nice at one time, but now were overgrown, a long lawn of now tall grass. The trees had been cut back away from the towers and building, but Mel could imagine this place was pretty amazing. She ciuld almost feel the power of this place, imagine rumbling and growling. What could be in there that would need such large cooling towers? What was nuclear power anyway? How did it work? How did Naname know hor it worked? Why was she here again? To shut it down? Why? Hadn't they been shut down years ago? It had been twenty years since the event, so wasn't it too late?

Mel pulls her legs up against her chest and pulls out her walkmen. Putting them on, she looks out around her, keeping vigile as she listens to John Denver. It was one of the few she had that calmed her down. The forest beyond the tall grass was still, no bird song nothing. Mel felt a deep sense of fear come over her, that sense of deep foreboding she had felt when a horde of kezart made their way slowly towards their home. A memory that slapped into her mind as John Denver's calm voice played theough her beats.

Her mom rushed into the hiuse, slamming and bolting the door behind her, yelling into the interior, 'Mel grab your pack, its time to go!'

Mel had never heard her mom yell ubtil that day. She could still remember crying silently, watching as the horde tried to claw their way through the barred windows inside their house, unable to get wjat they wanted most, guant monsters howling yo alert others to the two of them. Mel had only been eight, crying and clutching her walkmen as her mom had started playing 'Dust in the wind' by Kansas to calm her down. She had never run as fast or as long as she had in that moment.

Mel wondered if she could even sprint now after so many years cooped up inside. Her mind went back to Naname, moving like a panther towards rhe Kezart. She wasn't afraid, jusy determined, those eyes like lasers on a target, or at least the one. Could she ever be that brave? That strong? That fast?

Mel looks both ways, hoping to see her new lifesize superhero walk towards her. The song finishes, moving on to Jim Croce and Mel stops it. Batteries would be scarcer now and she couldn't waste them, with only a twelve pack in her bag. Sliding the beats down, the howling wind now reaches her ears, the slight wisp of wiping grass and a deep rumble below her. That one surprised her as she stood up abd looked past the buidling to see huge plooms of smoke rising from the towers. She mouths wow, always remembering Naname's words. It was amazing and Mel wondered what Naname was really doing in that building.

Gradually the smoke drifts off, the rumbling stops, and the surroundings are quiet again. Mel leans against the building, trying to stay calm and keep her eyes open and ears sharp for anything not the norm.

Nothing. Quiet. Still. No monsters lurking. That was until the tap comes on her shoulder, sending her jumping a mile high. Naname lets iut a small snort and holds out her hand. Mel hands her the paper abd Naname writes:

 _Sorry to scare you 15. Took longer for the cooldown process that normal. Now we need to run... literally._

Nodding Mel puts her journal and pen away, stands, and follows Naname. Naname could move quickly, Mel pabting to keep up. But then the unnatural moans and hisses come. Mel's eyes widen as they move towards the sound.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mel wanted to scream why they were moving towards the sounds, but it would be pointless. She had no breath to ask.

That's when she sees them, all of them crowded at the closed gate entrance to the power plant. Mel wanted to scream at Naname, but didn't need to ask why when she pulls back the chambering mechanism on the AK, flips a small lever, swings the barrel forward and shots. The sound was deafening as a spray of bullets hit the bodies. Many fall, as she suddenly pulls another gun from her side, a glock from a holster and puts several rounds through heads. A hole is made and she sprints for it; as she hits a button in a booth they run by. Mel could barely keep up, gasping as they run through the opening gate. Claw like fingers reach for them, but Naname was a one woman army, long blade slicing limbs from bodies as she yells out, 'Move it slow polk!'

Mel never ran faster or further than this day, surpassing her memories. She glanced back only once and would never forget it. Seeing Naname swing her sword in one hand, and fire a round as she turned into a graceful ballerina of devastation.

/I/

They sat in front of a fireplace as Naname rubbed oil on her sword. Mel had been quiet after what she saw, feeling sick to her stomach and amazed at the same time. Finally she asks as the fire warmed her face, 'Why do you carry a sword?'

'Katana.'

'Huh? Mel asks, looking at the older teen beside her as she put down her sword.

'The sword is called a katana, a weapon of war that has been past down for generations in Japan.'

'You're Japanese?'

'Half.'

'How did you learn to do that back there?'

'What?'

Mel stares at the girl, seeing the scar on her neck, peeking out from her shirt, another on her arm like a cross. She may have been thin, but she was pure muscle, not a pudge in sight, unlike Mel. Mel had a small stomach that annoyed her, her arms weren't defined by muscle like Naname and she asks, 'How you fought off the Kezart, how did you do that?'

'Practice?'

'But you looked like you were doing a dance, not hacking at monstrous creatures.'

Naname shrugs and says, 'Can't say for sure, never seen myself fight.'

Mel rolls her eyes, as Naname grins at her. Putting her head on her knees, Mel asks again, 'How old are you?'

'Eighteen.'

'So you didn't see the event.'

'The event?'

'Yeah, what happened to the world, the event.'

'Oh,... no,' Naname says, shaking her head and frowns as she said, 'It wasn't so much an event, as it was a pandemic.'

'A what?'

'Pandemic, greek in origin, meaning all people. It literally means a widespread disease of all people.'

Mel just stares at her new friend and says with a skeptical look, 'Your weird.'

Naname shrugs and says, 'Hey I don't know what you've been taught, so consider yourself well educated on that word. But I was told plenty about the KZRT virus.'

'The KZRT virus?'

Naname nods as she replaces the now gleaming katana back in its sheath and says as she starts disassembling her AK, 'Yeah, the official name of the illness that wiped out the populace was called KZRT virus. It was a hybrid of some kind, mixed with hemorrhagic fever, ebola, rabies, and influenza. Most people thought it was a bioweapon, but sources said it was a naturally occuring virus. People called it a superbug that started in a hospital in Cambodia, don't recall the name. But thats all old news.'

Mell quickly turns and says, 'No! Please tell me, my mom didn't talk much about it.'

Naname looks surprised, and murmurs, 'Wow, not exactly responsible on her part.'

Mel frowns, but Naname continues on, 'It happened in late November of 2020, closing in on twenty years ago in two months. No one expected anything of it, thought it was a new flu strain like the bird flu years previously. But when people started showing symptoms that were unfamiliar, like the bleeding of the eyes, the thickening of the blood, and the rage... well W.H.O. got involved.'

'W.H.O.?'

'The world health organization, especially when it started spreading into India and China. By then it was too late, airports were shut down, but the infection was slow growing. People could be infected for weeks before they started showing symptoms. About seventy percent of the population was wiped out in a year, dead and gone. Then twenty percent started changing in a different way, evolving them into what we affectionately call the kezart.'

'What about the other ten percent?'

'Well it's more like two percent, but that's irrelevant, are us, unaltered or immune or simply not bitten by the kazert.'

Mel just stares at her new friend as she polished the parts of her gun, unaffected by what she had said. Finally Mel asks, 'Are there really havens out there?'

Naname stops, looks up at Mel and nods. Mel smiles and asks, 'What are they like?'

'Like?'

'Are they like real towns with people and everything?'

'Couldn't really say.'

Frowning, Mel asks, 'Why not?'

'Put simply, I steer clear of others.'

Mel was surprised by that, watching as Naname methodically put the deadly machine back together. The girl was amazing, moving as if everything she did was second nature and Mel asks, 'Why?'

'I've never been good with others. Mostly because of...' Naname stops there, shakes her hair and pulls out her glock to clean next.

'Of?'

Naname stops, looking up at her and says, '15, you don't know when to stop prying do you?'

'I-I'm sorry.'

Naname blows out her breath, shakes her head and says, 'Simply put, I just don't take direction well. I've been alone for so long I can't imagine being told to be a normal teenager. I've seen so many things and that isn't one of them.'

Mel stares at her friend, her eyes glancing at the scar on her face, now something Mell had gotten used to. If the scar wasn't there Naname would be beautiful, her clear skin, straight nose, long lashes, yup, beautiful. Mel felt bad, with her mud brown hair and eyes, freckled face, and wide mouth. Naname asks, 'What's wrong?'

'Just curious.'

'About?' Naname presses.

'About the nuclear power plants. Why are you shutting them down?'

Naname raises her good brow, smiles and says, 'Good one. Well I guess you could say I'm doing it for future generations.'

'Future generations? Why? The world is gone.'

Naname shrugs and Mel notices how her friend meticulously lines up her weapons before her, as if inventorying them. Finally Naname answers, 'Because there will be new generations and I want them to have the chance we don't at the moment. A hundred years from now I can see someone finding that cooling tower and returning it to functionality. They will have electricity, running water, even working fridges. But we will have to wait, wait for the virus to finally kill off the kezart. So until then, I'm making sure they don't become ticking time bombs.'

Mel just stares at this new friend, somewhat awed and worried for her sanity at the same time. Mel murmurs, 'Ambitious.'

'Yes, the few unaffected I've met say the same thing.'

'Really? Did they travel with you to one of the havens?'

'Some did, others were too afraid to leave their homes.'

'Why do you help them?' Right after asking this Mel yawns.

Naname chuckles, saying, 'Ok Mel, time to stop the fifty questions and answers segment. I'll talk to you in the morning.'

Mel nods, but just before she falls asleep by the warm fire she jerks up. Naname was still staring at the fire and asks, 'What's wrong?'

'I forgot to leave a note!'

Naname frowns at her asking, 'What do you mean?'

Mel crossing her legs as she turns her head to Naname, explains, 'For my mom, in case she's still alive. I left a note on the kitchen table before I left.'

Naname didn't look too happy with this, scratching at her jawline where fresh skin met scar murmuring, 'Great, another complication.'

Mel frowns asking irritated, 'What?'

'Okay, so what do you want to do?'

'If I can just leave a note on the entrance gate would be enough,' Mel says, looking down so she doesn't have to have Naname's gray eye glaring back at her.

'Nope, no way.'

'But!'

'You saw that horde! Look I can handle a quick burst of energy like that and run, but to fight that many again just to leave a note on the fence, are you serious?!'

Naname was angry, as she slides the glock into its holster for affect. Mel jerks as if hit, knowing its true but murmurs, 'She's all I have left to hope for right now.'

Naname stilled, looking frustrated and conflicted before letting out an irritated sigh and saying, 'Fine!!! Write your note, I'll take it there tonight while your asleep.'

Mel was startled by this and says quickly, 'But I don't know where we are going!'

'Oklahoma, to Sun City, its a haven outside of Oklahoma City. It will be a long journey, but I know its the best bet.'

Mel smiles wide and nods quickly, not knowing where Oklahoma was or how far. But nodding she pulls our her journal, tears out a page and writes:

 _Mom,_

 _I'm still with Naname, heading to Sun City, close to Oklahoma City, hope you know where that is. Love you, Melody_

Handing it to Naname she asks, 'But... isn't it more dangerous to travel at night?'

'Kezarts do like the night and seem to move quicker, but I'm fast. If I'm not back by morning, head west and just keep going until you hit a large river. There is a bridge you will find if you head south, cross it and follow the road. The road will lead you to Oklahoma City. The city is off limits, but people patrol that road often, stop at the barricade and wait.'

'But...'

'Believe me, staying here isn't a good option. Trust me.'

Mel nods as Naname grabs up her weapons, pulling on her breathing apparatus and muffles out, 'Remember, morning, exactly at daybreak, leave if I'm not back.'

Mel nods and follows Naname to the barricaded door. She moves the dresser out of the way and says, 'Make sure the door is secure.'

Mel nods again, watching as Naname darts into the darkness and Mel prays her new friend is safe.


End file.
